


A Name to Call Your Own

by The_Digital_Writer



Category: To The Edge of the Sky (Visual Novel), 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: Alternate Universe - Not K-Pop Idols, Character Development, Eventual Romance, F/M, It gets deep trust me, Original Character(s), Psychology, Self-Doubt
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-10
Updated: 2019-02-01
Packaged: 2019-10-07 13:30:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,823
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17366762
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Digital_Writer/pseuds/The_Digital_Writer
Summary: (Based on the visual novel To the Edge of the Sky)The world is a broken place. Wars have been waged and people have suffered. Even time itself could not heal the scars gouged into the Earth. Despite this, a city has been erected and now represents the hopes and dreams of the survivors. Olympia City has become everyone’s haven. Despite this, shadows perpetually lurk in even the brightest of places...Kyung-hee was raised to become her clan's sage. She had planned on remaining with her diverse community until she managed to get involved in a mission three strange men needed her assistance with. Because of their recommendations, she found herself being recruited by one of the most famous organizations, PHASe. After becoming a trainee and newest recruit to the top team, Phantom Alpha, Kyung-hee learns that not everything is as it seems.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This work is solely fanfiction based off of the Visual Novel “To the Edge of the Sky.” I do not own any real people mentioned nor do I own TTEOTS. I only own Kyung-hee, the clansmen, and other OCs that will appear. This story is based loosely on TTEOTS, so please be aware that the plot may differ from the visual novel. All constructive criticism is welcome! (I will attempt to update regularly, but no guarantees as life gets ahead of even the best of us)

_Utopia. By definition it’s a state where everything is perfect. There is no violence. No poverty. No hatred. No starvation. No greed. The list goes on. All people are happy and healthy, enjoying the lives they lead. They have no reason to be sad, angry, or sickly. Utopias are said to only exist in legends. Yet, even in myths, there are always creatures hiding amidst the shadows._

 

_All is well in utopia._

 

 

_~*~_

 

 

_A barren wasteland stretched towards the horizon. No life could be spotted for miles and any water found was a sickly gray. Small animals rarely left their shelter, only doing so to briefly scuttle for food. On humid days, part of the area was covered in a layer of fog, obscuring the markings of a past swamp. The other side often experienced sandstorms and a perpetual drought. A mountain range divided the two, preventing the inhabitants from seeing each other unless they dared to venture the treacherous terrain. Centuries past both biomes had once flourished. Deforestation and over-harvesting had devastated the plant life of the once agriculturally enriched land. The improper disposal of pollutants was at fault for the destruction of the marshland._

 

_The humans living amongst the landscapes had lost many loved ones to the harsh conditions. In the swamps, the majority died of disease. Those that died in the deserts were often killed by the nearly constant sun and lack of supplies. Over time, the swamp people dimmed to less than a handful of groups containing only a few families each. As the desert claimed numerous lives, a single clan was left standing. They were moderate in population and had very little possessions. Despite their hardships and the fact that very few became elders and even less survived birth, they were wise beyond their time. Children learned from a very young age that the world was not as kind nor accepting as they were taught to be. If the clan discovered anyone in need, they would do everything they could to help, regardless of the person's origin or orientation._

 

_While the clan functioned in a similar way to a town, there were no designated leaders. Everyone was equal. The people did their best to help each other, to the point where many went hungry in order to put food in someone else's stomach. It did not matter if two people didn't get along or if they didn’t know each other at all; they still put their entire being into helping solve whatever problem ailed the other._

 

_Throughout the clan, there were many orphans and adults that had no family to call their own. The desert was a harsh place. It did not discriminate between the lives it took. That was why the clan members held each person in high-esteem. One did not know if they would see their neighbor, brother, grandmother, or friend the next day. Life was not a guarantee and many people took each day in stride so as to remain strong throughout the inevitable losses everyone suffered._

 

_As a way to combat the hardships the people went through mentally, a role was created to ease everyone's thoughts. The clan sage's existence was founded on the basis of creating a calm environment where members could speak to someone about their worries. The sage would either give out advice or simply become an ear to rant to. Oftentimes a sage was picked out of the adults when the previous one died or had to retire from their duties. Very rarely was a child chosen, and it was nearly unheard of for a sage to raise a child to one day fill their role._

 

_Despite this, that is exactly where the story of Kyung-hee began._


	2. A Fateful Meeting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll be trying to make this story as detailed as possible so as to not confuse anyone who may not have played the game before or needs a refresher. For those that have played TTEOTS, feel free to skip some scenes if you don't need introductions to certain characters or places. By the way, constructive criticism is always welcome!

**_A Fateful Meeting_ **

 

A small girl no older than nine ran through her clan's camp with a laugh. A couple boys her age were chasing her in hopes of retrieving their ball she had stolen. Despite her vertically challenged stature, the girl had no problem outrunning her friends.

 

"Hani!" one of the boys cried out, panting for breath. "C'mon, please give us the ball!"

 

Hani, the girl, stuck her tongue out at the boys without stopping.

 

"I’ll give it back if you can catch me," she sang, a teasing grin on her face.

 

While she was facing her friends, Hani failed to notice the figure standing directly in her path. She grew confused for a moment when she saw the boys skid to a stop. Her unasked question was answered when a pair of arms wrapped around her waist and lifted her into the air, effectively ceasing her movements.

 

"Noona!" the duo of boys called out with expressions of relief on their faces.

 

"Slow down there, kiddos," the woman holding Hani against her hip laughed. "What’s with all the havoc you’ve been causing today? I heard from quite a few people that you’ve been tearing through camp since early this morning."

 

"Hani took our ball!" the boys exclaimed simultaneously.

 

Hani pouted up at the female holding her. The woman stared at the children with a raised eyebrow and gleaming green eyes.

 

"Hani," she spoke in a mildly scolding voice, "how many times have you been told that if you want to play you can just ask? You don’t need to steal the ball to join in. I’m sure the boys wouldn’t mind letting you play if you just asked."

 

Hani remained silent as the woman placed her gently on the ground. The boys slowly stepped forward, noticing that Hani's grip on their ball had loosened.

 

"We have no problem with you joining us," one of the boys spoke. "Just please don’t steal the ball anymore."

 

Hani clutched the ball tighter before staring up at the woman beside her. The older of the females sent her a reassuring smile.

 

"Okay..." Hani mumbled and handed the ball back to the boys. "I’m sorry for making you chase me. Can I play with you?"

 

The two boys pretended to contemplate their answers. Grins quickly spread across their faces as they hugged Hani.

 

"Of course!" they laughed. "Thank you for getting our ball back, Kyung-hee noona."

 

The woman waved her hand dismissively with a wink.

 

"All in a day's work for the sage-in-training. Now, run along and go play before dinner. I’ve heard a rumor that a certain someone will be telling stories of the past tonight."

 

The children stared up at Kyung-hee in amazement.

 

"Really?" Hani squeaked. "You’re going to tell us stories later?!"

 

The only response they got was another wink before the green eyed female walked away. Kyung-hee nearly burst out in laughter when she overheard Hani dominating the impromptu game of tag the kids had started.

 

"I remember the days when you were that cute and full of energy," a voice chuckled from behind her.

 

Kyung-hee rolled her eyes playfully when she saw the old lady standing by a tent.

 

"Auntie Jiji, I’m offended that you don’t think I’m cute anymore."

 

"You stopped being cute when I became the one in charge of changing your diapers," Jiji chortled. "May I just say, _not_ a pleasant experience."

 

Jiji was the woman who took care of Kyung-hee during her early toddler years and on after her mother passed away. Despite how much she complained that Kyung-hee was a challenge to raise, her insults were never serious. Since she had become an orphan when her mother died, Kyung-hee was brought up by many of her fellow clan members. The two that had the greatest impact on her were Jiji and Sage Sadik. While she had no knowledge of her biological father, Kyung-hee saw Sadik as both her dad and mentor. Neither of the elders had children nor a spouse to call their own, so they dedicated most of their time to Kyung-hee. Of course, as it takes a village to raise a child, everyone in the clan had a hand in Kyung-hee's childhood.

 

She was brought up under the clan's morals and was one of the sole defenders, so she was often looked up to by the children. The fact that she was training to become the next sage also played a role in the respect she was shown.

 

"I've got to go do my rounds," Kyung-hee stated as she smiled at Jiji. "Good luck watching the kids, Auntie."

 

The only response the girl received was a playful glare. Kyung-hee chuckled before leaving the camp. As the clan had moved closer to the city of Olympia, the surroundings had to be checked more often. The sage-in-training routinely patrolled anyways, but she doubled her efforts whenever the nomads got close to the city.

 

While Olympia was claimed to be the pinnacle of perfection, the people that inhabited the outer edge were less than friendly. Kyung-hee had first hand experience with thuggish city dwellers hurling insults and physical objects whenever the clan passed. She knew the adults were nearly unaffected, but she hated the mere thought of the children having to experience the abuse that was wrought upon the tribe.

 

Keeping an eye on the city as she traversed through the wastelands, Kyung-hee adjusted the white scarf over her mouth. Through her ARO glasses [1], she spotted a decent amount of people standing close to the pathway that lead to the city. Though she couldn’t distinguish exactly what they were saying, she knew that it wasn’t good based on the glares that were sent her way. When she was finally in earshot of the crowd, their words registered.

 

"Dirty drifters aren’t welcome!"

 

"Get away before you make our walls dirt!"

 

"Filthy things probably haven’t ever bathed in their lives."

 

"I doubt they even know the word. I bet they just roll around in the dirt and call that clean."

 

As harsh words were spat at her, Kyung-hee ignored the group. She knew responding to their aggressive actions wouldn’t end well, but it appeared pretending they didn’t exist angered them more. Just as she walked passed the city dwellers, a hand clamped down on her shoulder. A hooded man pulled her by the shirt and held her at a short distance. Kyung-hee glared and was about to demand he release her when the jeers from the others suddenly stopped. The drifter looked around in confusion, which only grew when she saw two men that were clearly too well dressed to be in such a place. One wore a white jacket and had hair dyed a mixture of blue and black. The other stood with a regal presence and was decked out in what had to be the fanciest coat Kyung-hee had ever laid eyes on. His hair was dyed a shade of lilac and his full lips were pulled into a frown. There was an intensity in the first man's eyes and the second maintained an air of composure.

 

The man in white wasted no time in rushing towards Kyung-hee. He pulled her free from the hoodlum and stood protectively in front of her. Even with the added height from her worn boots, the kid had to have eaten magical beans as a child because of how tall he was compared to her. As it wasn’t in her nature to let someone fight her battles for her, Kyung-hee moved to stand beside the boy, earning herself a look of mild surprise.

 

"What are you doing...?" the stranger questioned.

 

"Helping," she replied with a nod of acknowledgement. "Thanks for trying to protect me, though."

 

"I can handle this." The male frowned down at her with furrowed brows.

 

"That’s not the point," the drifter sighed. "It’s _my_ fight so I should be involved. I have no doubt you can take these guys, but I’d rather not sit back and watch."

 

Before the two could continue their conversation, the hooded man rushed at the boy in white with his fist raised. Kyung-hee's supposed savior easily dodged and kicked the offender in the torso, sending him flying to the ground.

 

"I’m Zero," the boy stated as though he hadn’t just launched a grown man with a single kick. "You?"

 

Holding back a laugh at his oddness, Kyung-hee shook her head in disbelief.

 

"I’m Kyung-hee, but I don’t think right now is the best time for introductions."

 

"If the opponents were a challenge-" Zero smirked and decked the hoodlum -without even looking, might she add- in the face when he rushed the two again. "-then I might agree."

 

It was official, Kyung-hee mentally gasped, this kid definitely ate something magical as a child. Either that or one of her clan mates snuck a psychedelic mushroom into her breakfast again and this was all her imagination. Two more thugs that were no doubt friends of the first appeared but were quickly taken care of by Zero. The green eyed female gaped in awe at the fact that he didn’t even break a sweat. A hand grasped the back of her shirt, shaking her from her thoughts. A frown crossed her face as an angered thought entered her mind. What was up with everyone grabbing her shirt?! She easily slipped away from her attacker and hastily examined his body. His left arm was tense and pulled back slightly, so there was no doubt that he was aiming to punch her with that fist. Her eyes drifted down to his legs, where she noticed he was leaning heavily on his left leg. His right one must have either been injured or he favored his left side dramatically. As he went to attack her, Kyung-hee twirled behind him. She was glad that she was relatively light on her feet. After delivering a swift kick to the back of the man's right knee, he collapsed to the ground with a groan of pain. Kyung-hee's eyebrows shot up as a small blotch of blood bled through his pants. Yep, definitely injured.

 

With her opponent down for the count, the drifter turned to find Zero. Her eyes widened slightly at the sight of six more assailants on the ground surrounding him. Her stare eventually went to his eyes, which she found were watching her intensely. As she tried to refrain from blushing at the attention she was getting, Kyung-hee scratched her cheek and broke eye contact. The sound of another person walking up to them had her raising her head. The purple haired man from before now stood beside Zero. The crowd that had been cheering for the thugs had dispersed, some onlookers even running away in terror.

 

"Zero," the regal looking man sighed, "I think you could have avoided fighting if you had let me talk to them."

 

Zero sheepishly looked to the side as Kyung-hee resisted the urge to give a reassuring pat on the back. She had a soft spot for dogs, and he looked like a scolded puppy. Her attention was pulled back to reality when the older male addressed her.

 

"Are you okay?" he asked with a small smile. "You seemed like you handled that pretty well, but injuries can always happen."

 

Kyung-hee returned the smile with a laugh. "Yes, thank you for asking. A girl can get used to fighting alongside someone, especially a person that fights as well as Zero."

 

Zero turned his head so as to hide the embarrassment he felt at being complimented.

 

"Not many people would come to the help of a nomad," she continued, "so your help was much appreciated."

 

The man's countenance seemed to fall slightly at this information.

 

"That’s heartbreaking to think," he mumbled. "Your people are probably the kindest and most well-adapted culture out of any in the past fifty years. You open your clan to everyone, you guide and help others, and you pride yourselves on equality. It’s a shame there’s such discord between your clan and the people that live in the cities."

 

The purple haired man seemed to realize he was rambling and paused his impromptu speech. Kyung-hee grew confused when he addressed something behind her.

 

"You’re back already?"

 

The drifter nearly had a heart attack when she noticed a man dress completely in black standing beside her. She watched silently when the new person addressed the regal man as Nine and explained he hadn’t found whatever they were searching for. Nine placed a pair of sunglasses over his eyes, obscuring his expression.

 

"I’ll be right back," the purple haired male stated before waking a distance away from the group.

 

Kyung-hee was then left to suffer an awkward silence as Zero and the newcomer refused to open their mouths. When she noticed Zero begin to shift uncomfortably from foot to foot and the other man seemed that he couldn’t care less about her presence, she attempted to start a conversation with the white clad boy.

 

"So..." she drawled out, "do you guys work for PHASe or something?"

 

She nearly flinched when the other man's drifting eyes suddenly latched onto hers. It was official; this guy intimidated her. Deciding to ignore the piercing stare she was receiving, Kyung-hee forged ahead in trying to attempt a conversation.

 

"Zero, what’s with the number names?" she questioned.

 

"Um, well, I can’t really tell you but whatever you’ve guessed is probably right," the boy mumbled.

 

Well, Kyung-hee certainly failed in trying to talk with the men near her. Before she could dig herself a deeper grave, Nine appeared once more.

 

"You’re familiar with the wastelands, correct? Would you be willing to help us find something?"

 

It took a moment for her to realize he had addressed her. When her brain finally caught up to her body, she nodded.

 

"Oh, yes, of course!" She smiled. "What is it you’re looking for?"

 

Nine appeared taken aback from her immediate response.

 

"You don’t need time to think about it?" he asked.

 

"It’s my people's way to help others whenever we can," the drifter explained with yet another smile. "We always try to help people in the wastelands, especially because there are few that know them better than us. We can’t just let people wander around and get lost. The heat could get to them and it could be bad."

 

"Thank you. We're really grateful for your help."

 

It was then that Zero decided to speak.

 

"We're looking for an old, abandoned church."

 

As she wracked her mind to try to recall the layout of the area, the drifter scratched at her cheek.

 

"I think the place you’re looking for is by the dried out lake," she eventually replied thoughtfully. "I can show you where, so just follow me."

 

The trip to the church took no time at all due to the fact that the men seemed to have a rover nearby. Kyung-hee had to ignore her excitement of riding in such a nice vehicle in favor of giving directions from the passenger seat as Nine drove where she pointed. As soon as the group walked through the entrance to the stone church, Zero began to wander. Kyung-hee once again likened the boy to a puppy, drawing a small smile across her face. The smile fell just as quickly as it had appeared when the man in black grabbed onto Zero's shoulder, preventing him from going anywhere.

 

"Don’t wander around mission sites," scolded the man. "Especially before Nine has given you any instructions."

 

"Sorry, Four-hyung..." Zero whispered.

 

At the mention of Nine's name, Kyung-hee turned around, only to see said man had wandered off himself. She watched in slight amusement as Four twitched in annoyance. She refrained from commenting about how that was the most emotion he had shown when he separated from the group to try and find the missing lilac haired man. Zero, taking advantage of Four's distraction, decided to do his own exploring. He stopped in front of one of the many statues within the ruined church and turned towards Kyung-hee.

 

"Do you know who this statue is supposed to be?" he questioned with a slight tilt of his head.

 

The drifter placed a hand on her chin as she wracked her brain for knowledge of the particular statue.

 

"I’m not completely sure, but I think it might be a Catholic Saint. I don’t know too much about this place... Sorry."

 

"We could narrow it down based on location and what Saints were worshipped here," a voice spoke up.

 

Kyung-hee nearly jumped again when she saw Nine standing right next to her, his sunglasses off as he examined the statue. She contemplated getting her heart checked out if she spent any more time around the ninja-like men. She grasped her shirt when Four popped up on her other side, a disappointed scowl on his face.

 

"Have you all forgotten we're here on a mission? And this girl can go now; she’s done her part."

 

Zero sheepishly shuffled his feet while Nine cleared his throat.

 

"Even if we're working, I think it’s always good to take time out to learn about the world around us, if we can. We might not get another chance like this."

 

"Work time is work time," Four rebutted, "and this is Zero's first mission outside of Olympia. We should be teaching him good work ethic-"

 

Four suddenly stopped speaking and all three men's heads snapped towards one of the corridors. Four dashed off and Zero took a defensive position in front of Nine and Kyung-hee. Knowing that something had set them off, Kyung-hee shifted into a fighting stance of her own. After waiting a moment, several hooded men appeared. Nine was the first to break the tension.

 

"This is your hideout, right?" he began with an amiable quirk of his lips. "Sorry to intrude..."

 

"You know damn well this is our place," one of the men snarled as he eyed the trio. "A dirty drifter and some freaks from Olympia... There’s no way you aren’t after our spoils."

 

"We're just looking for one thing in particular, really," the lilac haired man hummed.

 

Before anything else could be said, Kyung-hee noticed Four pop up from behind the leader and twist his neck, a snapping sound echoing through the stone halls. The female tensed and held back a wince as the body fell to the ground. Two more bodies followed suit, a glint of metal shining from Four's grip. The two men had clearly been cut down when blood leaked from gashes on their necks. One terrified thug remained, although he soon dashed away. Four clicked his tongue but didn’t pursue. Despite the echo of fear that resounded in her own body, Kyung-hee couldn’t help but be amazed at the skill the black clad male had displayed. When a man tried to surprise the three people watching Four, Zero went to rush the thug, only to fall over after tripping on the rubble. Kyung-hee's body tensed in shock at Zero's sudden clumsiness. Before she could turn back to defend herself from the thug still attempting to attack her, Nine swiftly got between the two of them and pulled out a stun baton. With a swift hit from the weapon, the thug was sent tumbling, unconscious. There was no doubt in Kyung-hee's mind that the three strangers were incredibly talented, even if Zero may have tripped a little.

 

"You tripped, Zero. _Tripped_ ," Four scoffed as he walked to the group, a scowl on his face. "That mistake could have been the end for you."

 

Nine sighed and placed a hand on Four's shoulder. "It’s his first time. Go easy on him."

 

"He’s had thirteen years of training," Four retorted. "He should be able to protect his leader better than this." Four's dark eyes drifted away from Nine as he changed the topic. "The weather generator is secure."

 

"That’s good. I just heard that the others have successfully completed their missions."

 

Zero perked up at this news while Kyung-hee tried to understand what they were discussing.

 

"So everyone is safe?" the youngest male asked.

 

"Yes, Zero," Nine responded with a small smile. "That type of mission is Six's specialty, so there was no need to worry."

 

The group fell into silence as Four sent Zero a sharp glance, no doubt internally reprimanding the younger boy. Unable to remain quiet about the scolding expression on the man's face, Kyung-hee spoke up.

 

"Everyone makes mistakes sometimes, no matter how good or experienced they’re supposed to be."

 

Kyung-hee shifted when Four glared at her, no doubt noticing the double meaning to her words.

 

"You don’t know anything about us, so stay out of it," he ordered. "We're not playing here. One mistake could mean the end of a life."

 

"If that’s the case... why don’t you finally explain who you are?"

 

Nine smiled softly as he casually crossed his arms.

 

"For you, I’ll tell you this much. You can keep a secret, right?" Kyung-hee nodded. "I’m sure you’ve already guessed that we're a part of P.H.A.N.T.A.S.M. A special team within PHASe to be exact. Our missions are extremely critical to the nation."

 

"So you came all the way here from Olympia City?" the drifter mumbled.

 

"Yes. I can’t tell you more about what we do, or our real names, but you’ve seen our work with your own eyes." Nine suddenly winked, a twinkle in his eyes. "I can tell you that you should be on the lookout for a special message soon."

 

"From PHASe...?"

 

Four snorted, "Lucky you. Wonder if you’ll even make it."

 

Kyung-hee stared at the three males in front of her. Four maintained a neutral expression and Nine was still smiling, but Zero was looking intently at her. Nine uncrossed his arms and hooked his thumbs into his jacket pockets.

 

"We'll be going now. Thanks for your help; I really appreciate it." Nine suddenly looked apologetic. "We can’t give you a ride back, though. Sorry."

 

The drifter laughed and shook her head. "Don’t worry. I’ll just have one of my clansmen pick me up. I’m just glad to be of assistance." She paused for a moment before shyly holding out her hand to the leader. "Um, you were really impressive back there. You’re a really smart guy."

 

Nine grinned and shook her hand, displaying the dimples in his cheeks.

 

"Some people think so," he laughed.

 

"Really humble and kind too," she added with a quirk of her lips. "You seem like a great leader. It was an honor to meet you."

 

Nine gave a closed eyed smile and finally released her hand. "Likewise. Hopefully we'll meet again soon."

 

Four swiftly began to walk away and was followed by Nine. Kyung-hee watched as the two began to leave, but her head titled when she saw that Zero was still staring at her, seemingly frozen in his spot. He eventually opened his mouth, but no sound came out. Four turned his head and the perpetual frown on his face seemed to deepen.

 

"Come on, kid."

 

With that, Zero reluctantly trailed after the two older males. Kyung-hee cast him a warm, albeit small, smile. She held back a chuckle when his eyes widened at the site and he nearly tripped on yet another piece of rubble. A slight flush rose from his neck before he hastily caught up with his teammates. The PHASe agents soon disappeared from site, leaving the drifter to her thoughts in an abandoned church. Even though she couldn’t get a complete read on what the men were like, she was certain they were unique. She shook her head and placed a hand in her worn pants pocket.

 

She just hoped that whatever she had dragged herself into wouldn’t be _too_ crazy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [1]: ARO are basically Google glasses on steroids in TTEOTS. Seriously. They can do a lot.


	3. Consideration

_**Consideration** _

 

By the time Kyung-hee had been picked up and taken back to where her clan resided, the sky had darkened to night. A large bonfire was blazing and many of the children sat in front of it. Kyung-hee smiled when she realized they were waiting for her to tell a story. Hani was vehemently telling the more antsier kids to be patient, all the while she herself was squirming in her seat. One of the older clansmen held back a laugh as he watched the young ones' heads whip around when Kyung-hee greeted them.

 

"Noona!" they all cried out.

 

"Sorry I’m so late," the drifter apologized. "I didn’t plan on being gone for so long but now I have a really good story to share."

 

At this news, the children released a vivacious cry of excitement. Kyung-hee soon found herself surrounded by bright eyes and glowing smiles. Despite the exhaustion of the day that was slowly creeping into her body and the fact that she hadn’t eaten lunch nor dinner, she gladly sat down beside the kids and launched into a retelling of the three mystery men she had met that day.

 

 

~*~

 

 

Kyung-hee ducked under the tarp that covered the entrance to the clan sage's tent. It was well past midnight. The stars shined brilliantly in the sky, casting a calming emotion throughout the camp. While Sage Sadik tried convincing her to have a tent of her own so she'd have her own privacy instead of living with him, the female refused in favor of always being near him in case he ever needed her. As he was certainly not getting any younger as time went on, Kyung-hee took it upon herself to always have a watchful eye on him. More than once she had to stop him from tripping and even took care of him whenever a fever struck, which was becoming more and more frequent as time went on.

 

At the moment, Sadik was sitting up in his bedroll, a warm afghan laid across his lap and a book in his hand. A candle burned lazily beside him, casting shadows across his wrinkled face that made him look a hundred years older than he actually was.

 

"What are you still doing up?" Kyung-hee questioned, a teasing tone in her voice. "It’s past bedtime for elderly like you."

 

"And isn’t it past bedtime for little kids like you?" Sadik retorted, a grin cracking across his face. "So, I heard you had a run in with some PHASe agents, eh?"

 

Kyung-hee nodded and sat on her bedroll beside Sadik's. She tapped a finger against her thigh as she gathered her thoughts on the men she had met. Sadik patiently watched her until she spoke up.

 

"One of them helped me fend off some city dwellers and then I helped them find that old church by the empty lake," she eventually explained. "We were apparently in some gang's hideout and the agents took them all down, although the youngest one did trip a little..."

 

"I’m glad you are safe." Sadik placed his book beside him. "You know how dangerous it is to go against gangs in such a small group."

 

Kyung-hee held back a bark of a laugh. "I’m pretty sure just one of the guys could’ve handled the entire gang by themselves. They all seemed qualified to do whatever their job is. I think one of them was a specialist in either stealth attacks or outright assassination, because he got rid of half of them in less than a few seconds."

 

Sadik raised an eyebrow at this. His apprentice then continued on with her recounting of the day's events. Once she had finished sharing as many details as she could remember, Sadik finally spoke up.

 

"You say they told you to expect a message from P.H.A.N.T.A.S.M.?"

 

Kyung-hee nodded. Sadik fell silent and gathered his thoughts, a habit that was common for the two. The elder eventually released a sigh and ordered the female to go to sleep, as she was starting to lose the strength to remain sitting. She reluctantly agreed, although she was secretly glad for the opportunity to rest. The drifter lazily placed her ARO glasses beside her bedroll before drifting off into a dreamless sleep.

 

 

~*~

 

 

Kyung-hee awoke to the sharp smell of a certain elder's sweaty sandal. She released a groan of discomfort as she swiped the offending item away from her. Her bleary eyes locked onto a snickering Sadik as he stepped away from her resting form.

 

"Why do you always feel the need to wake me up like this?" she muttered, a playful glare aimed at him.

 

Sadik simply shrugged. The two had a stare off before a smile cracked across the female's face. She laughed and stood up from her bedroll, hair no doubt a massive mess. She ran her fingers through it a few times before giving up, willing to wait to fix it once she found her hairbrush.

 

"You've got food duty today, kid," Sadik commented. "Oddly enough, Hani volunteered to help you, even though she hates cooking."

 

Kyung-hee shook her head and sighed. "What'd she do now?"

 

"She almost convinced some of the other kids to become her servants for a day after they all lost a bet to her."

 

"And what bet is this?" chuckled Kyung-hee.

 

"That you wouldn't notice Mello asked you out yesterday right after you finished telling the young'uns a story at the bonfire. I guess all the other kids thought you were really observant and Hani figured otherwise."

 

Kyung-hee yawned, "Oh, that's not too bad of a bet-" She suddenly froze as her cheeks heated up in embarrassment. "Wait, Mello did _what_?!"

 

Sadik wheezed out a laugh. "You really didn't know that he wants to date you? Apparently he was starting to confess to you and you just walked right by him!"

 

The young drifter held her head in shame. She must have been ridiculously tired to have walked right by her usual patrol partner _while he was confessing_. She knew of his slight crush on her (she wasn't _that_ oblivious), but she never thought he would confess to her after all of the hints that she tried to give explaining she saw him as her shy little brother. While Kyung-hee was berating herself to the point of mental flagellation, Sadik shook his head in amusement.

 

"For a trainee sage," he began, "you have far to go along the lines of romance."

 

Kyung-hee shot him a dirty look before storming out of the tent in order to apologize to her poor friend (who was no doubt heartbroken).

 

 

~*~

 

 

After a stressful day of profusely apologizing, breaking up arguments between kids, cooking the meals for the entire tribe, and dealing with the smaller problems that always seemed to plague the clan, Kyung-hee was ready to collapse. It was well past a reasonable hour at night, and a few of the children had fallen asleep on her while she was telling them a story. Hani in particular seemed to have laid claim to sleeping on the sage in training's lap. The fire that was burning for the night had dwindled down to a smoldering pile of dried bracken. Despite how cold the desert usually got at night, the temperature was only mildly cool at the moment. Wandering clansmen had placed blankets over the pile of children and offered to take them home. Kyung-hee was willing to help bring the kids back to their families, but they all seemed to have an unrelenting grip on her body. So, even with the strength of three clansmen, Kyung-hee was forced to sleep outdoors. She mentally reminded herself before falling asleep to rise before the sun, otherwise her and the children would have terrible sunburns, which was never fun.

 

 

~*~

 

 

A few more days passed since Kyung-hee's run in with the mystery men from PHASe. Things were normal in the camp and the children were in one of their lulls where they didn’t argue with each other as much. The drifter was in the middle of sewing up a hole in one of her shirts when her ARO glasses flashed with a notification. She picked up the device from its spot beside her bedroll and slid them onto her face. The display lit up once more before it showed a message from an unknown sender. The message opened up and Kyung-hee suddenly stabbed her finger with the needle she was using once she read it. Ignoring the dot of blood that was emerging from the finger, she reread the message to ensure she wasn’t being delusional.

 

_**Miss Kyung-hee,** _

_**It has been decided through a recommendation, data collection, and analysis that you have displayed incredible talent and potential. We at P.H.A.N.T.A.S.M. have acknowledged your skills and would like to extend an invitation for you to become a trainee within our Psion program. If you choose to accept this offer, please reply your confirmation and be at our Olympia headquarters at the designated time. Directions and information will be sent to your ARO once you have accepted. Thank you for your time.** _

__

_**-PHASe** _

 

Kyung-hee sat frozen on her bedroll for the longest time. She only moved once Sadik entered the tent and snapped his wrinkly fingers in front of her.

 

"What’s with that face?" he questioned. "You look kind of catatonic, y’know."

 

When she responded, the drifter's voice was hoarse and quiet.

 

"I’ve been offered a place within PHASe..."

 

Instead of being surprised like she thought he would be, Sadik simply had a knowing smile across his face. She stared at him in confusion when he sat beside her.

 

"Of course you did," he hummed, carefully pulling at her hand when he caught sight of the now coagulated blood smeared across her finger. "Only the best of the best ever get scouted, and you definitely fit that criteria. I’m surprised it’s taken them this long to notice you."

 

"But I can’t just go join some secret agency," Kyung-hee argued once she caught wind of what the elder was implying. "I’m going to be the clan sage. I have the clan to look after and the kids and Aunt Jiji and you! If I leave and God forbid something happens to you, then the clan won’t have a sage. I can’t just leave everyone behind!"

 

Sadik playfully frowned and hit her shoulder.

 

"I’ve still got quite a few more years left in me, kid. Besides, I know how much you’ve always wanted to do more with your life and this is the perfect opportunity to do so. Don't think I haven't noticed those longing looks that you always get when you stare at Olympia City."

 

Kyung-hee remained silent, unable to form words. Sadik shook his head with a sigh. He gently patted her shoulder and began to walk back towards the tent entrance.

 

"No matter what you choose," he stated, "I will always have faith in your decisions. Just remember that there's always more than one way to help people."

 

With those words, Kyung-hee was left in silence for an innumerable amount of time. As she thought through all of her options, she couldn't help but feel disappointed in herself for even considering abandoning her clan. They had done so much for her and she would never be able to repay them, especially if she left.

 

 

~*~

 

 

The next day, word had somehow spread throughout the clan that their sage-in-training had received an offer to join PHASe. Adults gave her various forms of congratulations while children hugged her with teary eyes. She tried to tell them that she had no plans of leaving, but the kids refused to let go of her regardless. A few adults were confused when she told them this, and they all told her to follow her dreams instead of being held back by the clan.

 

Aunt Jiji was especially firm in attempting to convince Kyung-hee to go to Olympia.

 

"What do you mean you're staying here?!" the older woman exclaimed, hitting the girl's head. "Have you no common sense? You'd do more good in the city than here, you brat! Do you think that if you leave the clan will suddenly fall apart? We survived just fine before you were even born, kid. Besides, there's such a thing as sending us whatever we need from the city because you'll actually be receiving a steady paycheck."

 

"But Auntie-" Kyung-hee tried to argue, only to be quieted by another smack on the head.

 

"Bah, where are your brains?" Jiji crossed her arms with a frown. "You'll never be properly happy here, just content. I remember when you were little and all you did was talk about your desire to see the city and solve all the world's problems. Don't tell me you've given up on that when the perfect opportunity is being handed to you on a silver platter."

 

Kyung-hee was silent as she stared at the ground, biting her cheek in frustration.

 

"It was selfish of me to even think of leaving everyone when I was young," she eventually responded softly. "It'd be even more narcissistic if I did something like that as a grown woman."

 

Jiji sputtered a laugh. " _Grown_? Calm down there. You're only 24 and you most certainly have not even scratched the surface of what you'll experience in life. You can't continue to live here like a sequestered child. If you expect to be the clan sage, how will you give advice if all you know is what goes on at the smallest scale?"

 

Kyung-hee suddenly froze before grasping her head with a fist.

 

"Oh no," she gasped, eyes blown wide, "will someone replace me as the sage trainee? Is there even enough time to train someone before Sadik retires? What if something happens to Sadik and I can't leave PHASe? Who'll take care of the clan? Now I definitely can't leave!"

 

Jiji clicked her tongue before smacking her surrogate child even harder. Kyung-hee winced. Jiji angrily pointed a finger at a chair. The younger drifter hastily sat down in order to obey the silent order.

 

"Nothing will happen to the old geezer," Jiji huffed. "On the off chance that something does, there are plenty of people capable of becoming a substitute sage until a permanent one can be selected. And who cares if you won't be able to leave PHASe right away? I'm sure they have a procedure for letting their agents retire or go back to their old lives. You have your whole life ahead of you; I don't want you to waste it away in this desert. Besides, you may end up not wanting to leave the city once you’re there."

 

Jiji released a discontented sigh. She slowly ran her hand over Kyung-hee's head.

 

"Just promise me that if you stay here, it won't be for the wrong reasons, okay?"

 

Kyung-hee wordlessly nodded, occupied with digesting what Jiji had said. The old woman cracked a smile as her eyes gleamed.

 

"Maybe you'll find a hottie to keep you company in Olympia. Lord knows me and you are the only ones in this entire camp."

 

"AUNT JIJI!"

 

 

~*~

 

 

Kyung-hee bit her cheek as she pushed the strap of her nearly empty bag further up her shoulder. Nearly the entire clan stood before her, some with tears in their eyes. A majority of the children hadn’t ceased crying since she had delivered the news of her traveling to the city. Hani in particular was glaring fiercely at the drifter as tears streamed down her round face. The young child was giving her the silent treatment, which was surprising considering the girl almost never ceased rambling. Sadik nodded his head at his apprentice as Jiji smiled softly.

 

"Take care," the elders simultaneously spoke.

 

Kyung-hee's lips quirked upwards at the two. "You too. Love you guys."

 

A few clansmen called out their farewells as the female began to walk away from the campsite. She managed to get a short distance between herself and her people when Hani let out an enraged yell.

 

" _Traitor_!" the small girl wailed.

 

Kyung-hee froze with her back facing the child. Her blood ran cold as Hani gave voice to the thoughts that had been plaguing the woman since she had received the message from PHASe.

 

"You said you wouldn’t leave!" Hani continued, eyes blown wide open. "You liar! How can you just abandon us like we're trash? You’re just going to forget all about us when you get to that stupid city. I-I hope you hate it there and that nobody likes you and you’re all alone and- and-"

 

Hani was essentially hyperventilating at this point. Jiji moved to scold the young girl but stopped when Kyung-hee replied, still facing away from the group.

 

"I’m sorry," the drifter replied softly. "I understand how you feel. I know that no matter what I say you’ll still be mad, and you have a right to be. I’ve betrayed your trust and things can never go back to how they were. But I’m doing this because I’ll be of more use elsewhere. You will always be on my mind. I know you’ll probably never forgive, and I apologize for causing you such grief." Kyung-hee suddenly turned to face the small child before bowing deeply. "Thank you for allowing me to share your happiness until this point, Hani."

 

The young girl bit her lip as tears continuously ran down her pudgy cheeks. She wordlessly took a step backwards before running back to the center of camp. The clan watched in silently awe when Kyung-hee spoke once more.

 

"Sage Sadik," she addressed, straightening up from her bow, "thank you for all the guidance you have given me. I’ve made many mistakes in my life, but I hope that me leaving will not be one. I also understand that I no longer have the right to even mention this topic, but... when the time comes to choose a new apprentice, please consider Hani. She has a good heart and is extremely selfless, not to mention quite the leader. I hope that she won’t make the same mistakes I have."

 

Sadik blinked at the woman he had raised since she was barely able to walk.

 

"You’re not coming back... are you?" he questioned.

 

The only response he received was a halfhearted smile and glistening eyes. Before anyone else could say anything, Kyung-hee had already begun her trek out of camp and into the desert. Sadik watched her go and could only pray to whatever deities listening that she would find true happiness wherever she ended up, be it Olympia City, the tribe, or elsewhere.

 

" _That goddamn, little shit of a_ -"

 

Sadik chuckled, interrupting the old woman's string of swears. "Jiji, please don’t end up having a stroke just because you’re mad at her. She may have a lot to learn and not the best self-confidence, but what’s important is that she finds herself, whoever she may be."

 

Jiji continued to grumble but didn’t oppose his statement. He clapped his hands together with a smile.

 

"Now, who’s up for a story from good ol' Sage Sadik?"

 

He received blank stares. It was well-known his supposed tales held not a single flame to the stories shared by his apprentice. His shoulders slumped when his clan dispersed, clearly not interested in being roped into his ridiculous retellings.

 

"...You guys are so mean to me..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter didn’t turn out how I wanted it to, but seeings as I hadn’t updated in a while and the chapter was clearly never going to sit right with me, I posted this anyways. Please leave some constructive criticism and your thoughts of the story so far if you can. Every word you comment is taken to heart, I promise. Thank you for reading, everyone!

**Author's Note:**

> Korean Words that readers may not be familiar with:
> 
> Noona- honorific used by males that refers to an older woman, means “older sister”  
> Oppa- honorific used by females that refers to an older man, means “older brother”  
> Hyung- honorific used by males that refers to an older man, means “older brother”


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